Guidance

BTOM risk categories and inspection rates for animal and animal product imports from non-EU countries to Great Britain: summary tables

Updated 22 April 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

The summary tables on this page show the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) risk categories and inspection percentages for imports of live animals, products of animal origin (POAO) and animal by-products (ABPs) from non-EU countries.

From 30 April 2024, imports will be subject to identity checks and physical checks. The percentage of times identity and physical checks will happen (the inspection rate) depends on the risk category of the commodity being imported:

• high risk category commodities will be inspected every time the product is imported (inspection rate 100%)
• medium risk category commodities will be inspected at a rate between 1% and 30% - read further information on the frequency rates of medium risk commodities
• low risk category commodities will not be subject to routine inspection, but they may be subject to non-routine or intelligence-led checks

Inspection rates listed in the summary tables are for both identity (ID) checks and physical checks, unless otherwise specified.

When risk factors are reviewed  commodities may be moved into higher or lower BTOM risk categories to reflect changing levels of risk.

1. Live animals, germinal products and live aquatics

Table 1. Live animal and germinal products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Live animals, including live aquatic animals (see note 1)	High	100%	Live aquatic animals include live fish and animals for ornamental, aquaculture and re-stocking purposes, and their germinal products.
Bees	High	100%	None
Germinal products, including hatching eggs	High	100%	None

Note 1

Live aquatic animals imported for human consumption (for example, crabs, lobster or live bivalve molluscs) are categorised as a products of animal origin. The risk categories for these products are in table 2d. Live fish are categorised as live animals and the categorisations in table 1 apply.

2. Products of animal origin (POAO)

References to Category II in the tables below relate to Annex I of Retained EU Regulation 2019/2129.

In these tables, ‘permitted countries’ are countries that meet both of the following criteria:

1. They have been approved to export a particular product to Great Britain (also referred to as having ‘market access’).

2. They have also been subject to a BTOM risk assessment for imports of animals and animal products.

Countries with market access to Great Britain for most POAO are listed on data.gov.uk.

Read more about countries that have been subject to a BTOM risk assessment.

Certain products of animal origin, such as composite products, have separate market access arrangements which are not covered in the data.gov.uk lists referenced above. Check the relevant APHA import information note to confirm market access arrangements for these products.

Table 2a. Composite products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Composite products	Medium M2 for all permitted countries. Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	15% (for medium M2 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	Composite products currently exempted from official controls under Article 6 of Commission Decision 2007/275/EC will continue to be fully exempt and will not be placed in the low or medium risk categories.

Table 2b. Dairy products and milk

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Milk for human consumption	Medium M3 for all permitted countries. Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	30% (for medium M3 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	This category includes both raw and pasteurised milk.
Dairy products and colostrum-based products for human consumption, which are preserved at frozen or chilled temperatures (Category II) – which contain raw milk	Medium for all permitted countries.	15%	None
Non-raw dairy products and colostrum-based products for human consumption, which are preserved at frozen or chilled temperatures (Category II)	Low for Canada and New Zealand. Medium M2 or M3 for all other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk).	For the purposes of the BTOM, ‘non-raw’ dairy products are products containing milk which has been subject to pasteurisation or an equivalent or higher level of treatment (for example, UHT processing). For infant formula and follow-on formula see table 2h.
Dairy products and colostrum-based products for human consumption, other than those mentioned in Category II	Low for Canada and New Zealand. Medium M2 or M3 for all other permitted countries. Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk).	For infant formula and follow-on formula see table 2h.

Table 2c. Eggs and egg products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Eggs for human consumption	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%
Egg products for human consumption, which are preserved at frozen or chilled temperatures (Category II)	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%
Egg products for human consumption, other than those mentioned in Category II	Low for the United States.  Medium M2 for all other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).

Table 2d. Fishery products and bivalve molluscs

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Fish and fishery products (including crustaceans) other than those mentioned in Category II	Low for New Zealand (except species associated with histamine). Medium M2 for all other permitted countries. Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).	Fishery species associated with histamine (that is, species of the families Scombridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Coryfenidae, Pomatomidae or Scombresosidae) are medium risk for all permitted countries, including New Zealand.
Fishery products from aquaculture and bivalve molluscs for human consumption, which are not in hermetically sealed containers intended to render them stable at ambient temperature (Category II)	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%	None

Table 2e. Gelatine, collagen and highly refined products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Gelatine and collagen  for human consumption	Medium M1 for bovine products from permitted countries where the BSE risk is undetermined (see note 3).  Low for bovine products from permitted countries where the BSE risk is negligible or controlled (see note 3). Low for non-bovine products from all permitted countries.	1% (for medium M1 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).
Highly refined products for human consumption	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).

Table 2f. Honey and apiculture products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Apiculture products for human consumption	Low for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, India, New Zealand, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay and Vietnam.   Medium M2 for all other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).
Honey	Low for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, India, New Zealand, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay and Vietnam. Medium M2 for all other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).

Table 2g. Meat and meat products including minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated meat

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Bovine meat and meat products for human consumption	Low for New Zealand. Medium M2 or M3 for all other permitted countries. Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk).	None
Ovine, caprine and camelid meat and meat products for human consumption	Low for Australia. Medium M1 or M2 for all other permitted countries (except for meat and edible offal of sheep - fresh, chilled or frozen - from New Zealand*). Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 1% (for medium M1 risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).	*Meat and edible offal of sheep, fresh, chilled or frozen from New Zealand will be subject to checks in accordance with arrangements under the Windsor Framework and the relevant Free Trade Agreements governing these products.
Soliped meat and meat products for human consumption	Medium M2 or M3 for all permitted countries.  Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	None
Porcine meat and meat products for human consumption	Medium M2 or M3 for all permitted countries.  Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	None
Poultry meat and meat products for human consumption	Medium M2 or M3 for all permitted countries.  Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	15% (for medium M2 risk). 30% (for medium M3 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	None
Rabbit meat, game meat, and their meat products for human consumption	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.   Low risk if shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised (see note 2).	30% (for medium M3 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	None
Rendered animal fat and greaves for human consumption	Medium M1 for bovine products from permitted countries where the BSE risk is undetermined (see note 3).    Low for bovine products from permitted countries where the BSE risk is negligible or controlled (see note 3). Low for non-bovine products from all permitted countries.	1% (for medium M1 risk). No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk).	None

Table 2h. Other POAO

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Infant formula, follow-on formula, food for special medical purposes (FSMP) and baby food	Medium M2 for all permitted countries, regardless of product type.	15%	Medium risk due to the vulnerability of the intended consumers. Composite products currently exempted from official controls under Article 6 of Commission Decision 2007/275/EC will continue to be fully exempt.

Note 2

‘Low risk if shelf-stable at ambient temperature and sterilised’ means a product must be both shelf-stable at ambient temperature (can be safely stored at room temperature in a sealed container), and sterilised by either:

• having undergone specific heat treatment in a hermetically sealed container that achieves an F0 value of three or more, or
• having undergone heat treatment prior to aseptic packaging that achieves commercial sterility

The following criteria also apply:

• For bovine meat and bovine meat-related products, the country of origin must have a negligible or controlled Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk status for the product to meet the low risk criteria.

• For dairy products, the requirements for UHT as laid out in Annex III, Section IX, Chapter II, Part II, paragraph 1(b) of Retained EU Regulation No. 853/2004 apply. In addition, the country of origin must have market access for the importation of dairy products that have undergone a UHT treatment.

• For bivalve mollusc products, they should be sterilised in hermetically sealed containers as laid out in Annex III, Section VII, Chapter II, Part A, paragraph 5(a) of Retained EU Regulation No. 853/2004.

• For fishery products, species associated with histamine (that is, species of the families Scombridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Coryfenidae, Pomatomidae or Scombresosidae) cannot be considered as low risk even if they otherwise meet the criteria above.

Note 3

Countries where the risk of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is currently undetermined:

• Botswana
• China
• Ecuador
• South Africa
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Vietnam

Read more about the BSE risk status for countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain.

3. Animal by-products (ABPs)

In these tables, ‘permitted countries’ are countries that meet both of the following criteria:

1. They have been approved to export a particular product to Great Britain (also referred to as having ‘market access’)

2. They have been subject to a BTOM risk assessment for imports of animals and animal products

For ABPs, check the relevant APHA import information note to confirm if a particular country has market access.

Read more about countries that have been subject to a BTOM risk assessment.

In these tables, the commodities listed are all subject to the import requirements laid down in Annex XIV to Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011. This is except for the requirement for a certificate or model document, where BTOM rules take precedence.

The inspection rate for any medium risk ABP commodities not listed in these tables will be 1 %.

Table 3a. Animal protein

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Processed animal protein (terrestrial, aquatic or insects) not for human consumption, for use in animal feed or outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%
Hydrolysed protein for use outside the feed chain	Low if derived from animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in permitted countries where the BSE risk is negligible or controlled (see exceptions in note 6). Medium M1 or Medium M2 for all other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 1% (for medium M1 risk). 15% (for medium M2 risk).
Hydrolysed protein for use in animal feed	Medium M2 from all permitted countries.	15%

Table 3b. Blood and blood products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Treated blood and blood products for use in animal feed	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%
Untreated blood and blood products from equine, for use outside the feed chain	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%
Treated blood and blood products from equine, for use outside the feed chain as a stabiliser or carrier for certain products, at a concentration of 10% or less	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.
Other treated blood and blood products from equine, for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%
Treated blood and blood products excluding equine, for use outside the feed chain as a stabiliser or carrier for certain products, at a concentration of 10% or less	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.
Other treated blood and blood products excluding equine, for use outside the feed chain	Low for in-vitro use if derived from animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in permitted countries where the risk of BSE is negligible or controlled (see exceptions listed in note 4 which are medium M1). Medium M2 for all other purposes and permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 1% (for medium M1 risk).
Untreated blood and blood products excluding equine, for use outside the food chain	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%

Table 3c. Fats

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Rendered animal fats not intended for human consumption, for use in animal feed	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
Rendered animal fats not intended for human consumption, for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Risk category may change (from medium M1 to low) once channelling measures are in place (see note 5).
Fat derivatives for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Risk category may change (from medium M1 to low) once channelling measures are in place (see note 5).
Fat derivatives for use in animal feed	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None

Table 3d. Gelatine and collagen

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Gelatine or collagen not intended for human consumption, for use in animal feed	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
Gelatine (excluding photogelatine) or collagen not intended for human consumption, for use outside the feed chain	Low if derived from animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in permitted countries where the BSE risk is negligible or controlled. Medium M1 for other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 1% (for medium M1 risk).	None
Photogelatine	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Risk category may change (from medium M1 to low) once channelling measures are in place (see note 5).

Table 3e. Hides and skins

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Treated hides and skins (excluding items not subject to any import restrictions)	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Items not subject to any import restrictions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/5b.
Untreated hides and skins	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%	None

Table 3f. Horns, hooves, bones and trophies

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Treated game trophies or other preparations of birds and ungulates consisting of entire parts, which are subject to import restrictions	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Further guidance and import conditions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/6A. Items not subject to import restrictions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/6C.
Untreated game trophies or other preparations of birds and ungulates consisting of entire parts	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%	Further guidance and import conditions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/6B.
Horns and horn products, excluding horn meal, and hooves and hoof products, excluding hoof meal, for production of organic fertilisers or soil improvers	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None
Bones and bone products (excluding bone meal), horns and horn products (excluding horn meal) and hoof products (excluding hoof meal) intended for use other than as feed material, organic fertilisers or soil improvers	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None

Table 3g. Milk products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Milk and milk-based products not for human consumption, for use in animal feed	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%
Milk and milk-based products not for human consumption, for use outside the feed chain as a stabiliser or carrier for certain products, at a concentration of 10% or less	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.
Other milk and milk-based products not for human consumption, for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%

Table 3h. Pet food and products for the manufacture of pet food

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Pet food – raw (including if frozen)	Medium for all permitted countries.	100% ID checks. 5% physical checks.	Pet food and dog chews will be subject to 100% ID checks and 5% physical checks in accordance with arrangements under the Windsor Framework.
Pet food – canned	Medium for all permitted countries.	100% ID checks. 5% physical checks.	Pet food and dog chews will be subject to 100% ID checks and 5% physical checks in accordance with arrangements under the Windsor Framework.
Pet food – processed (other than canned)	Medium for all permitted countries.	100% ID checks. 5% physical checks.	Pet food and dog chews will be subject to 100% ID checks and 5% physical checks in accordance with arrangements under the Windsor Framework.
Dog chews	Medium for all permitted countries.	100% ID checks. 5% physical checks.	Pet food and dog chews will be subject to 100% ID checks and 5% physical checks in accordance with arrangements under the Windsor Framework.
Flavouring innards	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
ABP for the manufacture of canned pet food	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
ABP for the manufacture of dog chews	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
ABP for the manufacture of raw and processed pet food (other than canned)	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%	None

Table 3i. Phosphate products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Organic dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate for use in animal feed	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%
Organic dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate for use outside the feed chain	Low and if derived from animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in permitted countries where the BSE risk is negligible or controlled. Medium M1 for other permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections (for low risk). 1% (for medium M1 risk).

Table 3j. Wool, hair and feathers

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
Dry untreated wool or hair	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.	Further guidance and import conditions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/23A.
Other permitted untreated wool or hair	Medium M1 risk for all permitted countries.	1%	None
Treated feathers	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.	Import conditions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/22B.
Wool grease or fatty substances derived therefrom (including lanolin and lanolin alcohol), for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Processed products derived from wool grease that no longer require further processing when they arrive in Great Britain (other than mixing, coating, assembling or packaging before placing on the market) and are intended for the manufacture of cosmetic products are subject to specific categorisation. This will be confirmed when the commodity code spreadsheet for non-EU imports is published in due course.

Table 3k. Other animal by-products (ABPs)

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate	Comments
ABPs for use outside the feed chain, or trade samples	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	ABPs included in this category are set out in Import Information Note ABP/8A.
Apiculture products for use in apiculture	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None
Apiculture products not for use in apiculture	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.	None
Fish oil for use outside the feed chain	Low for all permitted countries.	No routine inspections, only intelligence-led inspections.	None
Fish oil for use in animal feed	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None
Egg products for use in animal feed	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
Egg products for use outside the feed chain	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None
Pig bristle	Medium M2 for all permitted countries.	15%	None
Intermediate products	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Certain highly processed products are low risk.  Further guidance and import conditions are set out in Import Information Note/20.
ABPs and derived products for laboratory reagent or pharmaceutical use, including the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and laboratory reagents	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	Certain highly processed products are low risk. Products included in this category, further guidance and import conditions are set out in Import Information Note ABP/46.
Feeder rodents or lagomorphs and feeder chicks	Medium M3 for all permitted countries.	30%	None
Manure – processed	Medium M1 for all permitted countries.	1%	None

Note 4

Other treated blood and blood products excluding equine, for use outside the feed chain

These commodities are mainly low risk for in-vitro use from countries where the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk is negligible or controlled, but the following exceptions apply:

• bovine or ovine derived blood from South Africa – medium
• poultry derived blood from Canada or the United States – medium
• mixed species blood from Brazil, Israel, South Africa, Thailand or the United States – medium
• aquatic species derived blood from Israel, South Africa, South Korea, the United States or Uruguay – medium

Note 5

Channelling procedures

Channelling is where the transport of an ABP consignment is monitored from its point of entry directly to the approved point of destination. Certain products that are otherwise medium risk may be treated as low risk once a new channelling procedure, specifically for low risk goods, from non-EU trading partners has been developed.

Note 6

Hydrolysed protein for use outside the feed chain

These commodities are low if derived from animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in permitted countries were the BSE risk is negligible or controlled, but the following exceptions apply:

• South Africa
• India
• Uruguay

These countries and all other permitted countries are Medium M1 (1% inspection rate) or Medium M2 (15% inspection rate).

4. Miscellaneous

Table 4a. Miscellaneous products

Commodity	BTOM risk category	Inspection rate
Hay and straw	Medium M3	30%

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